OUR PROGRAMS
Moms tell us one of their toughest challenges is getting kids (and adults) to eat their veggies. We're here to help...
The VegeCooking Club offers several different programs:
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hands-on, after-school cooking classes for kids in St. Johns County elementary schools - 1st through 6th grade.
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classes for non-profits such as the Boys & Girls Club, Girl and Boy Scouts of America, and more
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in-home cooking classes and parties (contact us for more info!)
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cooking classes for kids, teens and adults at various locations around Jacksonville and St Augustine, Florida (contact us for more info!)
We teach kids (and adults!) the benefits of eating more fruits and veggies and how to prepare them in ways that taste great! After all, no one wants to eat yucky food!
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Curriculum and Nutrition
New curriculum and recipes are provided each year by founder, Dawn Hutchins. In addition, we've partnered with registered dietitian, Heather Borders, Chief Empowerment Officer at Kailo Nutrition to assist in development of our nutrition guidelines.
More about Heather Borders, MBA, RD, LD/N
After a personal experience with addressing high cholesterol through diet, Heather Borders was inspired to help individuals devise strategies to overcome the common challenges associated with implementing sustainable lifestyle changes.
As a Registered Dietitian, her clinical interests include gastrointestinal disorders, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and weight management.
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Academic Enrichment
We utilize the seven learning styles to teach kids in a fun, safe and clean environment.
Story Time: Kids learn through story
Sharing: Kids answer questions corresponding to the weekly story, drawing on their own experience.
Hands On: Children sample the raw fruit & veggie ingredients using taste, touch and smell - the kids create the recipe - washing, chopping, measuring, whisking & more.
Colorful Visuals: Our colorful visuals - including our "benefits of" posters - are read by the kids!
Centers: The children learn math & measurement skills through fun coloring and activity sheets and hands-on, theme related centers.
Team Work: Kids work in teams to create several of the recipes within each session.
Individual: Alternatively, a few weekly recipes may be “create your own” at the student’s desk.
VegeCooking incorporates school standards wherever applicable -
including (but not limited to) science, math and language arts.
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Food Allergies
We do not use eggs, dairy, shellfish, GMO soy, or ANY nuts in our classes. We work to minimize wheat - most recipes are naturally gluten free; however, if wheat is used, gluten free alternatives will be made available.
We do not recommend these classes for kids with life-threatening food allergies.
"Thank you Chef Denise. The girls had a great time. I have never seen them so engaged in a activity. The recipe booklet you made is adorable, I am going to save hers with the rest of her Girl Scout memorabilia." - Tina B. Girl Scout Troop Leader
Heather Borders, RD
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Safety and Sanitation
Food safe handling practices, proper handling of kid-safe knives and peelers, sanitation and cleanliness are reviewed at the start of EVERY class. We take safety and sanitation very seriously.